Refrigerated merchandising unit



1960 J. B. HENNION REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISING UNIT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1958 INVENTOR JOSEPH B. HENNION B M 34 r ns-sumac:

m7 ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1960 J. B. HENNION REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISING UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1958 INVENTOR JOSEPH B. HENNION ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1960 J. B. HENNlON 2,950,605

REFRIGERATED MERCHANDISING UNIT Filed June 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JOSEPH B. HENNION ATTORNEYS rates This invention relates, in general, to merchandising establishments such as grocery stores and the like of the self-service type, and more particularly to a new and improved refrigerated mechandising and display unit for such establishments.

A general object of my present invention is the provision of a new and improved refrigerated merchandising and display unit whereby perishable goods such as packaged meat, produce, dairy products, frozen foods, ice cream and the like, may be maintained under proper refrigerated conditions, displayed for inspection by customers and readily accessible for removal.

Present-day merchandising of perishable goods, such as packaged meat, usually include a refrigerated cabinet and/or a counter which contain such packages in various sorts and sizes and wherein meat and the like is stacked horizontally or vertically. Such an arrangement usually requires customers to continuously handle such packages until the desired package has been selected and it is not uncommon for the display counter to contain paclal which are old or mutilated by frequent handling. Fruthermore, such conventional display counters are inhereu; ly difficult to keep sanitary and presentable, with the additional disadvantage of making it difiicult to keep the meat properly refrigerated. And, finally, it is quite difficult to replenish such counters or cabinets, particularly during the busy times which results in a consequent loss of revenue besides the inconvenience both to employees as well as to customers.

Accordingly, another general object of my invention is the provision of a new and improved perishable food merchandising unit which can be refilled or replenished without inconvenience to the patrons and employees and which will properly refrigerate and maintain such perishable products in sanitary and presentable manner.

Briefly, my invention comprises, in the embodiment illustrated, an insulated merchandising unit having a hollow upper portion of generally rectangular or parallelepipedal construction adapted to eXtend between an upper storage and processing room and a lower main merchandising room and having a horizontally extended display and dispensing base in the merchandising room wherein food products are displayed and can be removed. The hollow upper portion is openable at the top in the storage and processing room whereby food products may be placed on trays of a new and improved endless conveyor and transported downwardly past an observation window and horizontally outwardly in the display and dispensing base towards a patron who may select the particular product desired. The conveyor is provided with guide means so constructed and arranged to maintain the trays substantially horizontally at all times and the entire merchandising unit is particularly characterized by being arranged to maintain the food products operatively within the range of a centrally located refrigerating unit which cools and blows air throughout the entire unit including the important feature of properly refrigerating the prodnets in the horizontally extending display and dispensing base.

With this vertical unit there is also accomplished considerable space saving and utilization of valuable floor space in the merchandising room and with its horizontal conveyor arrangement and display and dispensing base has an additional and very important feature in that it is safe. Patrons may remove selected products from a tray on a horizontally moving conveyor without danger as will be apparent from a further and more detailed description hereinbelow.

Accordingly, a more specific object of my invention is the provision of a new and improved merchandising unit extending between two floors of a merchandising establishment whereby the same may be replenished with stock from the upper floor and conveyed downwardly and outwardly towards a patron who may select the product desired.

Still another specific object of my invention is a new and improved merchandising unit having a centrally located refrigerating unit which blows cold air throughout the unit to maintain perishable goods at an even low temperature throughout.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a new and improved merchandising unit having an endless conveyor and continuously horizontal trays which contain perishable products and bring such perishable products within the view of the patron whereby any such products may be selected.

Still another object of my invention is a new and improved merchandising unit whereby products on trays of a conveyor belt are brought forwardly and outwardly towards a patron whereby they might be Withdrawn from a conveyor unit in safety.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a new and improved conveyor of units of this type capable of maintaining trays and the like substantially horizontally continuously.

Yet another object of my invention is a new and improved merchandising unit which is disposed to accomplish saving of valuable floor space in a merchandiisng room.

Other and more particular objects of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and drawings forming a part hereof and wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my refrigerated merchandising and display unit disposed in the main or merchandising floor and extending upwardly through the floor of the processing room with the floor of the processing room partially broken away illustrating to advantage the relationship of the unit between the two floors;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partially broken away, illustrating to advantage the arrangement of the inner working parts of my refrigerated merchandising and display unit;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the endless conveyor and one embodiment of my guide means utilized in my merchandising and display unit such as illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view, taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows and enlarged thereby illustrating to advantage one embodiment of the guide means for maintaining the trays on the conveyor in a continuous vertical relationship;

Fig. 5 is a semi-schematic view of the means of driving the conveyor and guide means illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and Fig. 6 is an enlarged, elevational view of the endless conveyor and a second embodiment of the guide means utilized in my merchandising and display unit;

. r H 7 i i V 3 V Fig. 7 is a detailed view taken along line 77 of Fig. 6, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the means of fastening two adjacent sections or posts together; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the bafiles in the duct of the refrigerating unit.

Turning now to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, it can be seen that I have illustrated my new and improved refrigerated merchandising and display unit, indicated in its entirety as 10, and having an upper portion comprising four walls 11 defining a hollow parallelepiped extending between an upper storage and processing room 12 and a lower main merchandising room 13 and having a horizontally extended display and dispensing base 14 on the floor of the merchandising room 13 wherein food products, illustrated in their entirety as 15, are displayed and can be removed The hollow upper portion may be open at the top or provided with suitable sliding or hinged doors at the top as illustrated at 16, whereby food products may be placed on trays 17, operatively attached to an endless conveyor, indicated in its entirety as- 18, and transported downwardly past observation windows 19 and horibontally outwardly in the display and dispensing base 14 towards a patron who may select the particular product desired and remove it through openings 20. The conveyor 18 is provided with a guide means 21 (one embodiment thereof being illustrated in Fig. 2) so constructed and arranged to maintain the trays 17 substantially horizontally at all times as will be understood from a detailed description hereinafter and the entire unit is particularly characterized by being arranged to maintain food products operatively within the range of a centrally located refrigerating unit, indicated in its entirety as 22 which cools and blows air throughout the entire unit including the important feature of maintaining the food products in the horizontally extending display and dispensing base 14 properly refrigerated.

While I have described my invention as being disposed between an upper processing room and a lower merchandising room, obviously, the processing room could be beneath or on the same level with the merchandising room, proper arrangement of the openings 20, food replenishing openings, and arrangement of the conveyor 18 and guide means being accomplished by those skilled in the art and while I have described my invention broadly showing the overall arrangement of the various parts thereof, I will now describe each of the elements in detail.

Turning first to the refrigerated merchandising unit itself, it can be seen that the end walls 23 and 24 of 'walls 11 are of general inverted T-shaped construction and that the two side walls terminate at the windows 19 located below the floor of the processing room 12 and situated, generally speaking, waist to shoulder high for normal visibility of the trays 17. At the lower edges of the windows 19 and substantially the beginning or top 25 of the vertical portion of the base 14, there is provided a horizontally disposed low wall 26 extending the full length of the merchandising unit between the end walls 23 and 24. Between each of the plurality of the windows 19 there is provided a pair of structural reinforcing members 27, 27 having a base 28 and which divldes the space between the windows 19 and the base 26 into the plurality of openings 20 (four shown) through which food products placed on the trays 17 may be removed by patrons when so desired and as previously mentioned. While I have shown the merchandising unit as provided with four windows 19 and four openings 2% on each side, obviously, the merchandising unit could be made to extend as long or as short or as high as desired with any number of such windows and openings and the sectional construction provided by the use of pairs of ad acent posts27, 27 (see particularly Fig. 8) accomplish sectronalized or component construction of my unit, viz, any number of complete sections including windows, trays, conveyor etc. may be disposed between a pair of end walls as desired. Posts 27, 27 may be fastened together by any suitable means but preferably by fastening means 28 comprising a rotatable hook 30 disposed on one member 27 and adaptable to hook a pin 31 in an adjacent member 27; the full and detailed description and operation of fastening means 2% being embodied in the US. Patent No. 2,486,686 to Shreve issued November 1, 1 949 and entitled Sliding and Swinging Hooked End Fastener to which reference is hereby made.

The upper walls 11 between the end walls while shown unitary for simplification could also be sectionalized as desired. At the top of the upper column, as hereinbefore mentioned, I have provided a plurality of doors 16 (eight shown) one for each of the conveyors 1S and openings 25 these doors 16 obviously would vary according to the number of sections used.

Turning now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 for a more detailed description of the conveyor 18, it will be seen that the con- I veyor 18 comprises a link chain 33 having a plurality of sprockets 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 40 which define a continuous track or course 41; sprockets 34 and 35 defining the outer limits of the track parallel to the front wall and windows 19; sprockets 35 and 36 defining the track parallel to openings 29; sprockets 3 6, 37 and 443 cooperating to define the return track with sprockets 4t 34 defining the upper limits of track.

Similarly, I have provided a guide track 41, which together with an arm 42 attached to trays 17 and to be in any suitable manner, brackets 43 being illustrated by way of example. To drive the respective sprockets, I provide a source of power 45 (Fig. 5), such as an electric motor, the drive shaft of which is connected to a pair of sprockets 46, 47 each of which in turn is coupled by sprocket chains 48, 5G to other sprockets 51, 52. Sprockets 51, 52 are mounted and drivingly connected to sprockets 53, 54 and 55, sprockets 53 and 54 furnishing the driving means for the upper and lower link chain tracks 41, 41 as previously explained. The motor 49 can be used to drive any number of such sprocket link chain arrangements 33, 33; one pair of link chains 33, 33 and one chain 33' beingrequired for trays 17 as will be apparent.

Trays 17 each comprising a horizontally extending relatively flat, relatively long, flanged tray member 56 are attached at each end to one of the upper link chains 33 by angle members 57 and a horizontally extending shaft 58 which is coupled to one link of each of the respective chains 33, 33; one end of tray only being shown in Fig. 4. This shaft 58 is fixedly mounted in non-rotatable relationship to tray 56 and to the vertically downwardly extending arm 42, previously mentioned, which in turn is coupled at its lower end to one of the links of the lower chain drive 33. Since the two chain drives are driven in unison by a common source and identical sized sprockets, it can be seen that regardless of the position of the tray 17 whether on the downwardly extending leg of course 41 or on the outwardly extending or return leg, the cooperation of the two courses and the arm 42 will cause the trays 50 to remain horizontal or substantially horizontal throughout the entire course.

Thus, it can be appreciated the trays 17 on the conveyor 18 will remain horizontal and will travel in a horizontal direction past the upper opening 16, vertically down past the window 19, and horizontally or substantially horizontally past the opening 20 where any merchandise on the tray may be selected and withdrawn and will continue past the opening 20 downwardly and back and upwardly again towards the opening 16. This can be a continuous operation, although if desired, the operator may stop or start the trays or slow the speed up as the case may be by the control means 59 operatively connected to motor 45 and indicated schematically at the top of the column in Fig. 1.

Too, the unit may be also provided with a conventional bell-button and talking tube (not shown) by which a patron may order select cuts of meat or other merchanidse of the type on display in the unit; the operator having control of the unit as by the control means 58 to place the preselected merchanidse on a tray in front of the opening and either properly identified or by stopping the unit in front of the opening for the customer who ordered such a select merchandise.

Turning now to Figs. 6 and 7, it can be seen that a second embodiment of the guide means designated as 21 comprises an arm 42 attached in a manner similar to that described in connection with the other emobdiment but instead of being connected to a second continuous conveyor chain 33 there is provided a track means 60 having inner and outer tracks 61 and 62 for the rolling of a pair a wheels 63 attached to the end of arm 42 therebetween. Thus, it can be seen that by the movement of the chain, which, as illustrated, can be identical with the chain 33 shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the wheels 63 will roll and be guided by the track means 69 mounted on sections 27, 27 and/or the end walls throughout the second course 41 whereby the trays are maintained vertical at all times; the track means 60 defining a substantial identical course 41' as that illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and defined therein by the second chain 33. To provide proper horizontal disposition of the trays I have spaced the tracks 61, 62 at the various legs of the course acording to the exact position of the wheels 63 so that they are in constant tracking contact with the track at all times as illustrated. Obviously, where convenient or desirable, the spacing between the wheels 63 may be greater with a consequent greater spacing required between the tracks at various legs of the course and the wheels could be replaced by skids.

As hereinbefore mentioned, one important feature of my invention is the ability of food products to be removed from the trays with safety. I have accomplished this by providing the trays 17 with movement outwardly toward the customer substantially horizontally past the horizontal opening 29 and then dropping whereby food products may be easily removed without the danger of the hands or arms being caught in the opening as would otherwise be possible when the trays move merely past a vertical opening. The arrangement of the endless conveyor and the guide means of either embodiment together with the horizontally disposed openings accomplish this important feature.

As hereinbefore mentioned, an important feature of my invention is the fact that each of the various conveyor units (8 shown in Fig 1) one for each of the openings 20, may be continuously kept under refrigeration. In this embodiment of my invention, this is accomplished by the provision of a centrally located refrigerating unit, previously identified as 22, and having the conventional cooling coils 7% located at the lower central portion of the unit 1% and provided with a conventional sirocco or squirrel cage type blower 71 which forces cool air from coils 74} up a vertically extending duct 72 (in the embodiment shown, rectangular in crosssection) which is provided with a plurality of apertures 73 formed by cutting out and providing outwardly extending curved batfles 74 distributed through the length of the duct which together with the inwardly extending bafiies 75 suitably operatively affixed with respect to apertures 73, divert cool air from the coils 70 to be dispersed throughout the unit'in the direction indicated by the arrows. At the top 76 of duct 72 a baffle plate 77 may be provided which will direct the cool air out wardly towards the respective trays in the conveyor units. Cool air tending to fall downwardly from the top of the unit from the baffie plate 77 and from apertures 73 by normal circulation, aided to some extent by the movement of the trays 17, will travel outwardly through the base 14 and out through an opening 78 in a vertical extending section 79 of floor 89, and back towards the coils 70 as can be appreciated. Where necessary or desirable, the circulation of cool air may be aided by a second sirocco blower 81, the inlet 82 of which located near and below the outer end of fioor of the base portion 14. It is to be noted that floor 83 of the unit and beneath floor 80 slopes toward the center immediately below coils 7G for moisture drainage and the unit is provided with a drain and drain pipe in a conventional manner as illustrated in its entirety at 84.

With the circulation of air thus established as above described, it can be seen that the trays 17, regardless of their position with respect to the conveyor will be continuously subject to cool air from the refrigerating unit 21 and while I have shown the duct 72 as rectangular, obviously, the duct could be square or cylindrical in cross-section with one unit for each section or two back to back sections, as illustrated in Fig. 2 or could extend through two or more adjacent sections with one or more of blowers, 71, being provided and obviously, the walls 11 and 26 may be insulated as desired to aid in maintaining proper temperature.

Where herein the various parts of my invention have been referred to as located in a right or left or an upper or lower or an inward or outward position, it will be understood that this is done solely for the purpose of facilitating description and that such references relate only to the relative positions of the parts as shown in the drawings.

Also, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention and the invention is defined and comprehended solely by the appended claims which should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

I claim:

1. In a merchandising unit a casing comprising, a base having a front wall, an upper hollow column disposed above said base and having a front wall extending upwardly rearwardly of the front wall of said base, first opening means for said upper hollow column providing access thereto, second opening means disposed below said first open ng means and between the upper edge of said front wall of said base and the lower edge of said front wall of said column, endless conveyor means disposed within said casing and extending between said column and said base in a path including a first portion in juxtaposition of said first opening and a second portion lying below said opening means between said front walls of said base said column, goods supporting means having supporting surfaces carried by said conveyor means, and means for maintaining said goods supporting means with their supporting surfaces in horizontal planes in all positions of said conveyor to afford for loading goods thereon at said first opening means and for removing goods therefrom at said second opening means.

2. In a merchandising and display unit a casing comprising, a base having a front wall lying in an upright plane, an upper hollow column disposed above said base and having a front wall lying in an upright plane rearwardly of said upright plane of said front wall of said base, first opening means for said hollow column providing access thereto, second opening means disposed below said first opening means and between the upper edge of said front wall of said base and the lower edge of said front wall of said column, window means in said front wall of said column, endless conveyor means disposed within said casing and extending between said base and said column in a path including a first portion in juxtaposition of said first opening means and a second portion lying rearwardly of said front wall of said column and a portion lying below said opening means between said front walls of said base and said column, goods supporting means having supporting surfaces carried by said conveyor means for conveying goods past said window means for display of said goods through the latter, past said first opening means in said hollow upper column for placing of goods thereon, and past said second opening means between said front walls of said base and column for withdrawal of said goods from said goods supporting means, and means operatively associated with said conveyor means and said goods supporting means for retaining the supporting surfaces of the latter in substantially horizontal supporting position throughout the path of travel of said conveyor means.

3. In a merchandising unit a casing comprising, a base having a front wall, an upper hollow column disposed above said base and having a front wall extending upwardly rearwardly of the front wall of said base, opening means between the upper edge of said front wall of said base and the lower edge of said front wall of said column, endless conveyor means disposed within said casing and extending between said column and said base in a path including a portion lying below said opening means between said front walls of said base and said column, goods supporting means carried by said conveyor means for conveying goods past said opening means between said front walls of said base and said column of said casing, drive means for driving said conveyor means to move said goods supporting means below said opening in a direction from said front wall of said column toward said front wall of said base, duct means extending upwardly of said column of said casing, means for cooling and delivering air from said base to said duct means and into said column, and air return means at the lower edge of said front wall of said base for receiving air from said column traversing said opening means and returning the same to said base.

4. In a merchandising unit, a casing comprising, 'a base having a front wall, a wall extending transversely of said base intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof dividing the same into upper and lower compartments, an upper hollow column disposed above said base and having a front wall extending upwardly rearwardly of the front wall and upper compartment of said base,

opening means between the ripper edge of said front wall of said base and the lower edge of said front wall of said column, endless conveyor means disposed within said casing and extending between said column and said upper compartment of said base in a path including a portion lying below said opening means between said front walls of said base and said column, goods supporting means carried by said conveyor means for conveying goods past said opening means between said front walls of said base and said column of said casing, drive means for driving said conveyor means to move said goods supporting means below said opening in a direction from said front wall of said column toward saidfront wall of said base, duct means extending upwardly from said lower compartment of said base and into said column of saidcasing, means for coolingand delivering air from said lower compartment of said base to said duct means and into said column, air deflector means for said duct for defleeting air therefrom and into said upper column, and air return means at the lower edge of said front wall of said base for receiving air from said column traversing said opening means and returning the same to said lower compartmentof said base.

5. In a merchandising unit a casing comprising, a base having a front wall, a wall extending transversely of said base intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof dividing the same into upper and lower compartments, an upper hollow column disposed above said upper compartment of said base and having a front wail extending upwardly rearwardly of the front wall and upper compartment of said base, opening means between the upper edge of said front wall of said base and the lower edge of said front wall of said column, endless conveyor means disposed within said casing and extending between said column and said ripper compartment of said base in a path including a portion lying below said opening means between said front walls of said base and said column, goods supporting means carried by said conveyor means for conveying goods past said opening means between said front walls of said base and said column of said casing, drive means for driving said conveyor means to move said goods supporting means below said opening in a direction from said front wall of said column toward said front wall of said base, duct means extending upwardly from said lower compartment of said base and into said column of said casing, means for cooling and delivering air from said lower compartment of said base to said duct means and into said column, air deflector means for said duct for deflecting air therefrom and into said column, air return means at the lower edge of said front wall of said base for receiving air from said column, and air moving means in said lower comparnnent of said base for drawing air through said air return means in a direction to traverse said opening means and returning the same to said lower compartment of said base. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Clerc July 2, 1940 wen-U. 1 

